Safety giant-powder magazine



(No Model.)

W. LINCICUM 8v C. F. LEWIS,

SAFETY GIANT POWDER MAGAZINE.

No. 563,933. Patented July 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES,

.PATENT Fries,

VILLIAM LINCICUM AND CHARLES F. LEVIS, OF COLORADO CITY, COLORADO.

SAFETY G IANT-POWDER MAGAZIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 563,933, dated July 14, 1896.

Application led January 28, 1896. Serial No. 577,186. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

'Be it known that we, lVILLIAM LINCICUM and CHARLES F. LEWIS, citizens of thc United States, residing at Colorado City, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Safety Giant-Powder Magazine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in powder-magazines; and the object in view is to provide an eiiicient and reliable article of this character which is especially adapted to be used as a reservoir for giant-powder in sticks for preserving the same in condition for use and also for thawing the same out after it has become frozen and uniit for use.

One object of the invention is to provide the magazine with a safety attachment by which an audiblealarm may be sounded or the heat cut oif when the latter becomes dangerously high.

The invention consists in an improved powder-magazine embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings,and finally pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved magazine constructed in acccordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation of a portion of the automatic wick-lowering mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a metallic vessel, constructed,preferably,in the form of an upright cylinder of any suitable diameter and height, and having arranged therein, at a suitable elevation, a horizontal partition or diaphragm 2. This diaphragm is perfectly air-tight, and within the lower part of the vessel, beneath said diaphragm, is arranged a lamp 3, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The vessel 1 is also provided at its bottom with three or more legs or feet 4t, by means of which it is held out of contact with the ground when placed thereon.

Within the upper portion of the vessel l is an inner cylinder 5, of somewhat less diameter than the outer cylinder, so as to leave a surroundin g annular space or jacket, adapted to receive a supply of water. The bottom of this inner cylinder is also located at a slight distance from the horizontal partition or diaphragm 2, thus continuing the water jacket or space beneath the bottom of the inner cylinder. This inner cylinder constitutes the reservoir or magazine in which the giantpowder is placed, and it is covered at its top by means of a lid 6, which is tightly fitted therein, so as to effectively exclude the air and prevent the too rapid volatilization of certain components of the powder, which ordinarily causes the freezing of the same, even in mid-summer. ln order to prevent the powder from coming in contact with the material of which the magazine is composed, the inner cylinder 5 is lined with pasteboard or equivalent material, as indicated at 7. The inner cylinder is connected to the outer cylinder and supported thereon by means of an upper annular wall 8, extending between the two, and is provided at a suitable point with an upwardly-projecting funnelshaped mouthpiece 9, through which the supply of water vmay be introduced into the water-space.

This mouthpiece or nozzle 9 is providedwith a metal stopper 10, which is provided with a whistle in its end, the same being adapted to be sounded by the escape of steam from the waterwithin the water-space upon the same becoming overheated,thus sounding an alarm and advising bystanders that it is necessary to turn oft the heat. In order to guard against the too rapid cooling of the water, the outer cylinder or vessel 1 is covered and entirely surrounded by one or more thicknesses of cloth, felt, or other material, as shown at 1l. 12 designates a bail by which the vessel o1` magazine may be lifted and carried, and 13 a knob or button by which the lid G may be removed.

The magazine is also provided at its top with an extension in the form of a cylinder 14, communicating with the water jacket or space by means of a neck 15. Within the cylinder a piston 16 is mounted to reciprocate, and the stem 17 of such piston extends upward and outward through the end of the cylinder, where it connects pivotally to a horizontallydisposed lever 18, fulcrumed at one end upon a suitable support or bracket 19, preferably IOO attached to the cylinder. The piston 17 connects with lever 1S at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, and the outer end of the lever 1S connects pivotally to a vertical rod or connection 20, which extends downward and is connected to the outer swinging end of an arm 2l, journaled at its other end on the stem 22 of the wick-raiser. Adjacent to the arm 2l and fast upon the stem 22 is a ratchetdisk 23, and the arm 2l carries a pawl 24, which at its swinging end engages the teeth of the ratchet-disk. In operation, when the water within the water-space of the magazine arrives at the boiling-point, the steam has the effect of lifting or reciprocating the piston 16. This causes the vibration of the lever 1S, and through the rod 2O a corresponding vibration of the arm 2l, the result of which is, through the interposed pawl 2i, to revolve the disk 23 in a direction which will effect a lowering of the wick. effects a reduction in the temperature of the water.

Frein the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple, efficient, and safe magazine is provided,in which a certain 1u antity of giantpowder may be placed and thawed or brought to the desired temperature for rendering the same iit for use. The thawing of the powder is accomplished so gradually that the danger of explosion is reduced to a minimum, and by the particular construction of the magazine it is impossible for the flame from the lamp to come in contact with the powder or even with the immediate vessel or cylinder in which the powder is contained. In the event of the water reaching the boiling-point the wick will be automatically lowered by the means especially provided therefor and above described. The device as constructed is particularly designed -for miners and those working below the surface rlhis reduces the heat, and thereby of the ground, where powder oi' this character is especially likely to freeze.

It will be apparent that the magazine may be made in any size and that it need not necessarily be cylindrical in cross-section, but

Ymay have any convenient or preferred shape.

It will also be apparent that other changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any oi' the advantages of this invention.

That we claim is- In a powder-magazine, a shell or case divided into two compartments by an interposed partition or diaphragm, a powder-receptacle arranged within one compartment but separated from the outer shell so as to afford a surrounding and intervening water-spaee,a lamp located in the other compartment and having an adjustable wick and wick-raiser, a ratchetdisk fast on the stem of the wick-raiser, a steam-cylinder in communication with the steam-space between the outer shell an dinner receptacle, a piston mounted to reciprocate in said cylinder, a lever arranged exterior-ly of the cylinder and having the stem of the piston connected thereto, a connecting-rod extending from said lever to a second lever 'fnleruined on the stem of the wick-raiser, and a pawl pivotally connected to the last-named lever and cooperating with the ratchet-disk on the wick- 1aiser stem, all arranged ior joint operation, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIl-Xllil LINGICUM. CHARLES F. LEWIS. lVitnesses:

C. E. ConroRUN, E. A. Biancknrr. 

